


Under the Mistletoe

by harringrovecryptid



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, First Kisses, M/M, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 09:26:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17159462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harringrovecryptid/pseuds/harringrovecryptid
Summary: The kids hang mistletoe in the doorway between the Byers’ kitchen and dining room.Unfortunately, they greatly underestimated how much traffic would be moving through that passage. And how often two people might cross under the mistletoe at the same time.





	Under the Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

The kids thought it would be funny to hang mistletoe in the doorway between the Byers’ kitchen and dining room.

Correction.

_ Dustin _  thought it would be funny. The other kids were secretly excited because it gave them plenty of opportunities to steal kisses under the guise of a Christmas tradition.

The parents couldn’t possibly find anything wrong with spreading a little harmless holiday cheer, right?

Unfortunately for the kids, they greatly underestimated how much traffic would be moving through that doorway. And how often two people might cross under the mistletoe at the same time.

Dustin and Mrs. Byers were the first fatalities. And at that moment Dustin seemed to decide that holiday traditions aren’t that big of a deal, and maybe mistletoe wasn’t a funny idea…

But ever since Mike explained to El what mistletoe was, she was very keen on ensuring the rules were followed.

So Mrs. Byers got a quick peck on the cheek, and Dustin got teased by Lucas for trying to “make a move” on Will’s mom.

That is, until Lucas and Nancy got stuck in the doorway a few minutes later.

Over the next hour it seemed as if everyone fell victim to the harmless plant. Mike and Will. Dustin and El. Hopper and Joyce (quite a few times and most definitely not all accidents). Steve would blow raspberries into the cheek of whichever unfortunate kid he crossed under with, which Mike thought was disgusting but it made Eleven laugh.

And after about the tenth raspberry from Steve all romantic notions surrounding mistletoe were hopelessly lost.

“None of you better be sick.” Hopper’s complaint was almost drowned out by the sound of a car engine in the distance.

“That’s probably Max!” Lucas called out as he ran to the window to watch as a familiar Camaro pulled into the driveway. “Ew, she brought Billy.”

“Who else was going to drive her dipshit?” Steve rolled his eyes as he helped Joyce carry dishes of food to the table, occasionally walking through the doorway with Nancy, Joyce, or Jonathan. By that time in the evening, kissing whoever happened to be crossing his path under the mistletoe became more habit than anything else. And if Steve could make Jonathan blush and act flustered then all the better.

“Yeah but why does he have to come inside?” Mike complained, leaning over Lucas’ shoulder to watch the two step-siblings approach the house.

Steve shrugged and continued his task.

He and Billy didn’t necessarily consider themselves friends after the Snowball, but they weren’t really enemies either. Sure they’d occasionally share a cigarette at the rock quarry when they happened to meetup there, and maybe Steve was starting to really enjoy the color of Billy’s eyes or the way his curly hair framed his face like a halo of sunshine…

And okay maybe Steve had spent a night or two thinking about the way Billy might kiss, but that was something a little more confusing than he was willing to think about during the holidays.

Especially when Steve would sometimes catch Billy staring with the same daydream-y look in his own eyes.

But maybe Steve was just imagining it.

“Hey losers!” Max called out as she burst through the front door. Billy trailed behind her with what looked like a casserole of some sort.

The kids quickly gathered together around the tree and began talking among themselves, sharing Christmas plans or creating them for the following days.

“Susan sent this.” Billy offered, lifting the corningware in his hands. He still hadn’t moved from his spot at the front door.

“That was so sweet of her.” Joyce smiled at the teenager. “Thank you for bringing it, you can put it in the kitchen. You’re joining us right?”

“I’m probably going to head out…” Billy tried to say before Joyce shook her head.

“You’re eating with us. Jonathan already got a chair for you.”

“Oh.” Billy said, awkwardly walking in the direction that Joyce was pointing.

Steve was only half-listening to the whole exchange. But he had to hand it to Mrs. Byers. She had a way of trying to make everyone feel wanted.

Steve grabbed a couple of empty glasses and walked them to the table.

Billy was in the kitchen now, looking around the busy house like he didn’t know what to do.

“Hey,” Steve gestured to the remaining glasses, “wanna help finish setting up?”

There was relief in Billy’s eyes as he followed Steve, grateful for something to do instead of awkwardly standing around. They made quick work of the glasses and plates, and Billy was just handing Steve the bread bowl when they happened to be crossing under the mistletoe at the same time.

“Thanks.” Steve pecked Billy on the cheek and walked back into the dining room. He was looking for somewhere on the crowded tabletop to put the bread when it dawned on him what just happened.

Slowly, Steve turned around, eyes widening in shock.

Billy was still standing in the same spot, staring back at Steve with a look on his face that Steve couldn’t quite discern between confusion and disgust.

Then Billy looked up, and he spotted the mistletoe. A slow smile crept along his face as Billy turned back to Steve.

Before either of them could say anything, Joyce was calling everyone to dinner and the room was suddenly crowded with hungry kids.

Steve was swept into a chair, trying to look anywhere but at Billy. And because apparently the universe hated him, Billy ended up sitting right next to Steve.

Thanks was given, plates were filled, and to the children’s delight, eating commenced.

For the next few minutes Steve’s fingers nervously turning a bread roll into crumbs until he felt something on his leg. Glancing down, Steve almost choked when he saw it was Billy’s hand.

Steve stared at the blond and Billy kept his gaze on Joyce, who had apparently asked him a question about what he wanted to do after he graduated.

All the while, the hand on Steve’s thigh stayed, occasionally shifting, but never leaving.

That night, after the dinner was over and the dishes were washed, Steve drove to the quarry.

He didn’t even question whether or not Billy would be there. He knew.

The Camaro was waiting for him with it’s passenger side door open in a silent invitation.

Billy was smoking in the driver’s seat. He kept his gaze forward. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Steve answered, crawling into the passenger’s seat, not sure if his stomach was doing somersaults because was afraid of excited. “You and Joyce seemed to get along alright.”

Billy exhaled, cigarette smoke hiding his expression. “She’s a nice lady. Kinda too nice.”

“Why? Because she invited you to dinner?”

Billy shrugged. “I’m not usually everyone’s favorite guest.”

“Well you seemed to behave yourself tonight.” Steve stared out the windshield, wondering where this conversation was going.

Billy lifted the cigarette from his lips and held it between his fingers. “I misbehaved a little.”

“What do you mean?” Steve watched the smoke rise from the small object.

Billy put it back to his lips and took a long drag before speaking.

“Stole something.”

“What?!” Steve bolted forward, staring incredulously at Billy as he turned on the radio and began browsing stations.

“Billy why would you… how..? You have to give it back, whatever you stole.”

“Mmh hmm.” Billy nodded and reached inside his jacket. “Once I’m done with it.”

“What’s that supposed to…”

Steve’s question trailed off once Billy pulled the mistletoe from inside his coat and hung it under his rearview mirror.

The car was suddenly very quiet with the exception of Judy Garland singing a Christmas medley over the radio.

“Still want me to give it back?” Billy smiled, but Steve could hear a tinge of nervousness in his voice. As if Billy was scared he’d completely misread what happened earlier.

Steve reached out and touched the delicate green leaves that were tied together in a pretty red bow. “I guess we could always give it back in the morning.”

Tension melted away as Billy flicked his cigarette from the car window. “Yeah. Or we could hold onto it for a few days.”

“Or just bring it back next year.” Steve whispered as he found himself leaning into the other boy like he was being pulled by a magnet.

Billy met Steve half-way.

“Next year.” He repeated, tracing his fingers along Steve’s jaw before leaning in for a kiss. “Merry Christmas Steve.”


End file.
